Workshop #6 - Architectural Exteriors

Working with the exterior of St Johns Anglican Church, each group was given a roll of medium format B&W film each. We used the 4x5 medium format cameras practicing tilt shift, to bring one side of the building all into focus & the scheimpflug technique to correct a facade of the building.

(Thanks to Amy for providing this memory of my confusion)

The same methods applied using our digital SLR's plus two detail shots of the building.

Uncorrected

Corrected

Corrected view - scheimpflug

Detail shot #1

Detail shot #2

I must admit I was in struggle town today trying to get my head around these techniques & remembering how to use the medium formats etc. I did however enjoy the location exercise & would like to keep furthering my knowledge behind these cameras & the techniques.

Thanks to Cameron for his patience & help.

Q&A - #4

Who is Arnold Newman?

What did he do?

What was he known for?

Arnold Newman was an American photographer, best known & most admired for his environmental portraits. He photographed some of the world's most influential people, his works published & exhibited all over the world.

A well celebrated image of his was that of, Igor Stavinsky (above), an abstract composition with the subject & his piano.

One of my favorites from the collection I looked at in his gallery of portraits (http://www.arnoldnewmanarchive.com/) was that of Alfried Krupp (above), centre placed in front of an assembly line where slave labour had taken place in the times of Hitler happenings. In my opinion Newman did an extraordinary job of drawing out & capturing the emotion behind this somewhat seemingly cunning & dark souled man.

Although many of Newman's images were produced as black & white, I was quite drawn to this photograph of Jackson Pollock (above) and the previous of Alfried Krupp because they were colour images. In my opinion I think they wouldn't be as appealing in black & white as they are viewed now. Both use great composition, lighting & subject matter.

I have enjoyed looking at Arnold Newman & I look forward to referencing back on his works as I look into my own Environmental Portraits.

Q&A - #3

What is the best flavour of Chupachup lollypop and why?

Im torn between Watermelon & Cola

Both are quite realistically flavoured & palette pleasing!

Workshop #4 - Large Format & Schiemfulg principle with photoshop as an alternative.

Large Format & the Shiemflug principle

Today we explored the view of converging lines through a Large Format camera taking note that not all of the wall was in focus when the front plane was diagonally positioned towards the wall. When slightly moving the front plane to align with the wall full focus was visible when on a certain degreed angle.

Photoshop as an alternative

If unable to re position yourself for the desired composition & alignment of an architectural subject, Photoshop allows you to transform & distort the image to align the building accordingly avoiding converging lines. Information is however lost in this process and cropping of the image is necessary to get rid of untidiness around the outer of the image after having been distorted. For me this option is not ideal but I see its concept.

Before being altered in Photoshop

After being altered in Photoshop

Proposal for Architecture Exteriors for Final Folio

Whilst in QLD on the Gold Coast over the weekend I was drawn to some very attractive architecture. I would love to focus on these buildings if I can for my final folio, of course depending on my availability & finances for traveling to this location. The reason behind choosing this location is because I have a very soft spot for QLD. If you know the place its a whole new world in itself with a lot of photographic opportunity day & night. I also hope that no one else is as committed to aiming for a different out of reach location, rather than Canberra & Sydney.

Knowing nothing about architectural photography I gave it a red hot go. Below are my two favorites from a "roll" of approx. 10 images.

Q&A - #2

Give reason why you would use film to take a particular shot.

• Image Quality

- Film is not effected as such by moire' patterns caused by under sampling a fine regular pattern.

- Landscape photography + large format film = WOW factor over untouched digital.

- Highlight areas in film mimic the eye better than digital highlights that abruptly clip and look horrible as soon as anything hits white. Unlike film there is no gradual overload to white.

• Client's request

- They may still use transparency for many reasons (eg. archival or historical reasons)

Proposal for Environmental Portrait

For one of my environmental portraits I really want to capture my Dad in his shed.

Every blokey bloke has his shed, but to me there is no other like my Dads. You name it, he's got it in his shed! I grew up building cars, fixing lawn mowers & chilling out on cold winter nights in front of the heater with my Dad in his shed. Yes, I should have been a boy! Though a bond between father & daughter couldn't be stronger when built like this.

Over the past few years my Dad has been going down hill quite quickly with an illness that will eventually leave him in nursing care. My Dad is my idol & I wanted to make this portrait more than just a portfolio piece. After loosing my brother in 1996 Dad has always gone to his shed & sat on his chair to remember & prey, in his own world of thought. Birthdays are the main focus of those times, a good example of when he spends quite time tucked away in this spot.

Today March 10.03.2010, his 58th birthday I shot him in this environment, as he sat doing just those things. My Dad shows blank emotion, but I feel i can read him like a book. I've always analysed everything he does, ever since my brother passed away, watching Dad is where MY emotion weakens. Knowing that my Dad seems the strongest person I know (along with my Mum) but underneath he's so destroyed by loss & hard times in his life. My Dad & my brother were close, we all share very similar unique values.

For the image itself I'm not sure. For a blind viewer I feel it lacks the emotion Im trying to capture. Im pretty sure Im going to need to reshoot possibly using flash to compliment the characteristics of the environment and my dad as the subject. Technically & possibly composition wise I'm looking for guidance. So Im totally open to suggestion!

I also photographed Dad posed playing the old school poker-machine I used to play while hanging out with him when I was younger. Framed by jokey straps and engine hoist chains, the background, his amazing collection of neatly placed & displayed tools I used to pass to him as a kid, back lit by outside light. I think I can defiantly improve on this image with simple things like using a reflector to make my dad, 'pop' more as the subject.

Comments and critique, as always is greatly appreciated!

Q&A - #1

Explain what you think the best attribute a photographer need to be a successful business person.

To be a successful photographer in business you need to first of all have an eye for attractive composition & efficient technical detail to draw an audience to your images over everyone else's photos they may come across.

Know how to sell & market yourself, have attractive & reasonable value behind your product/s.

As a person you need to have a genuine courteous, welcoming & positive fun vibe about you.

A listening & understanding nature

- you are there to understand and interpret your clients needs and wants. After all they are putting the money in your pocket & spreading the word about you & your company.

Promise & delivery is very important too.

- You say, people expect! So don't make promises you cant keep!

- Watch your response time in regards to their queries too!

Most of it comes down to customer service. The skill & commitment it takes to be a photographer & the commitment it takes to better that skill everyday. AND a head on your shoulders! - Be smart about how you do things, work hard towards goals & plan ahead!

Workshop #2 - Portable Flash - (Revision)

Today we went over how to do a custom white balance in camera

The first method consisted of placing a white card under the light of where the subject will be, fill the whole frame with the white card as the subject & select the custom white balance mode, take a shot & the white balance automatically selects the colour temp for that scene your about to shoot in.

We were also introduced to the EXPODISC. This is placed in the same area as a filter and is used in place of the white card to again manually set a white balance in camera. Its measures the incident light falling where your subject will be placed.

We then went onto an introduction / revision on flash kits, how to set them up, different accessories & situations you may have to use the different lights & flash accessories in. We also touched on a few OH&S hazards & how to avoid them when out in the field (bright tape on stands to avoid tripping etc)

Then we got to set up our own kits in groups & take 2 images using 2 different lighting techniques. Megan Olsen, Amy Mills, Stephen Kakk & Myself worked together & these are our results...

Flash Kit - High Key Lighting

Speedlight - Butterfly Lighting = Shadows too harsh

Speedlight - Butterfly Lighting = Use of reflector to soften shadows